Unsolicited good words for PHL volleyball
ALAS Pilipinas lifted Philippine volleyball to a level never seen before in the continental level, according to a ranking International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) official overseeing the Asian Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Challenge Cup for Women at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
“We haven’t seen this before for the last six years…what we’re seeing right now about the Philippines,” FIVB technical sub- committee member Shinab Al-din Ahmed Al-riyami of Oman told reporters on Tuesday.
“Volleyball culture in your country is progressing so fast because your federation is working very hard through the effort of Mr. Ramon Suzara,” added Al-riyami, referring to Philippine National Volleyball Federation president Suzara.
Alas Pilipinas reached the AVC Challenge Cup semifinals, a first for the country in an Asian level competition.
“Mr. Suzara and the PNVF board are doing very well,” he said. “I watched your national team last year in the same tournament in China and I saw a marked improvement.”
He added: “I spoke with your Brazlian coach [Jorge Edson Souza de Brito], you gave him enough time to build communication and improve skills of the players. And you all see it now.”
Al-riyami also noted that the PNVF hosting major international tournaments plus a strong domestic league could equate to a competitive national team.
“Next month, your country will host the VNL which is good for now and the future,” Al- Riyami said.
“You have a good federation and volleyball leaders.”
The VNL, or Volleyball Nations League, will be hosted by the PNVF for the third straight year this June at the Mall of Asia Arena featuring eight of the top men’s volleyball teams in the world— six of them bound for the Paris Olympics.
Iran and india, meanwhile, defeated separate opponents to stay in contention for a fifth place finish at the start of the classification phase Tuesday at the nearby Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
e Iranians, who went 1-3 wonloss in Pool A, beat Hong Kong, 26-24, 26-24, 19-25, 25-19, to get a shot at fifth place in the tournament backed by meralco, Pldt, smart, akari, ayalaland, nuvali, foton, Philippine Olympic Committee, Philippine Sports Commission, Mikasa, senoh, Asics, Maynilad, Makati ShangriLa, rebisco, cignal, onesports, onesports+ and pilipinaslive.
India, 2-2 in Pool A action, defeated Indonesia, 25-16, 30-32, 2520, 27-25, on Kambrath Anusree’s 21 points—19 kills—and middle blocker Soorya Soorya’s 16 attacks and two blocks for 18 points.